C'est La Vie
by Athena Writer 24601
Summary: Eponine is being abused terribly, and Marius is extremely concerned. Can he help her before it's too late?
1. That's Life

**Hello, readers! I decided to write this today, and it turned out decently. So read and review, and please enjoy! C'est la vie means "that's life". **

C'est La Vie

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in the streets of Paris. The sun shone and small children ran about laughing, their mothers talking peacefully. Marius Pontmercy sat on the street bench and relaxed. Only one thing was off about today.

Eponine was running late.

Marius checked his watch and frowned. It's not like he was irritated. He had nothing to go to that he would be late for by waiting for her. But it worried him. Eponine was hardly ever late. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time she was.

But here it was, twenty after six, and his best friend was nowhere to be seen. Every day they would meet at six o'clock, to talk and eventually walk home together. It was lucky they lived next to each other, for he didn't like walking alone.

It wasn't as if she was sick or staying home from the streets today. He'd seen her just that morning, smiling at her cheerfully waving form, and then laughing quietly as she went to pickpocket a tall man. She waved his bag of coins happily before disappearing into the alleyway.

Eponine was always bothered if either she or somebody else was late. Tardiness was not something that went along with the little firecracker of a street girl. It always amazed Marius how strong and defiant she was.

A crash from an alley behind him made Marius jump. He turned to see Eponine stumble out, wincing. A man lunged after her, shouting vulgar things.

"'Parnasse, go away!" She snarled, hissing in pain as he grabbed her arm.

"Fine," he growled, shoving her, hard, as he walked away. She tripped on a loose cobblestone and fell to the ground in front of Marius, cursing as the ground scraped her.

"All right, 'Ponine?" He asked.

"Oh, Marius, you startled me!" she said, brushing herself off. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Who was that man?" he said suspiciously, offering a hand to her.

She took it gratefully and stood. "Nobody important. I don't know him, my father sent him after me."

"You called him Parnasse. Clearly you know him."

Eponine took a sudden interest in her worn shoes as she sat next to him on the bench. She seemed unsure of what to say. As she leaned back, Marius caught a flash of something dark on her skin before her coat slipped over her arm.

"'Ponine, what's that?" He grabbed her wrist gently.

She jerked away, almost as if she was afraid he would hit her. "Nothing, Marius. You don't need to be so concerned about me all the time."

He took hold of her wrist again, this time more firmly. Before she could react, he pulled her sleeve up and his eyes widened at the multiple, dark bruises on her arm. "What are these from, 'Ponine?" He asked softly.

A dark look overcame her dirt-streaked face, mixed with something else. Shame? He couldn't tell.

She turned away. "I-the Inspector caught me stealing."

"Come on, 'Ponine, Javert wouldn't do all that. Maybe a slap or two, but this is a lot-"

"Marius, please! I just want to be left alone!" she burst out, pulling her arm from his grip. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw tears welling up in her sad eyes.

"Alright," he told her wearily. He wasn't going to let this go, but for now he felt his friend didn't need the badgering. "Can we still walk home together?"

A small smile graced her face. "Of course, M'sieur."

He took her hand gently and stood, heading down the street. After a few minutes, Eponine loosened up and they were soon laughing and talking like the best friends they were supposed to be. They stopped at the old stone bridge to look over at the Seine, Eponine even walking along the edge in a devil-may-care manner, grinning.

All her joy vanished, however, and Marius felt her stiffen, as they neared her house. A look of dread replaced her smile, and she took a deep breath.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Marius," she said tightly.

"Will you be alright, 'Ponine?" Marius asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're welcome to stay at my flat."

"Oh, no, Marius, I could never ask that of you. Thank you, I will be fine."

Marius cast her a worried glance as she disappeared into her home, the old door that never locked properly creaking. He went inside his own place at sat down to write a letter. No sooner had he started, however, when a huge crash came from the other side of the wall. He heard Thenardier screaming, probably at Eponine.

She yelled something back, and he heard flesh being hit. It didn't take much to figure out it was 'Ponine's skin that had received the blow. He winced with every cruel word and smack he heard. He knew he probably shouldn't intervene; Eponine hated people sticking up for her. She wanted to fight her own battles. Besides, Thenardier was a very dangerous man. He could as easily assault Marius. He knew he would only get Eponine hurt more if he went over. But it was so hard for him to bear her screams, especially as he heard the unmistakeable sound of a leather belt being brought down. He was shocked. How could a father do something so horrible to his own daughter? How long had this been going on? Sure, over the years he'd heard a colorful assortment of arguments and insults, which upset him, but never had he heard such a racket or witness Thenardier beating Eponine.

Finally, he stood to go over, but as if the evil man sensed him, the noise stopped and he heard the door opening as he left. Now the only noise was Eponine's sobs, echoing through both homes.

He peered through the hole in the wall. She was curled up on the floor, bloody and crying. He felt a surge of anger. He wanted to strangle Thenardier, but he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. Chasing down a gang leader was not a smart decision.

He checked that Thenardier had indeed left before he rushed over to check on Eponine, who lay shaking and crying.

Marius reached for her, and she flinched before she realized it was him. "M'sieur Marius..." she said weakly, relieved. "I'm sorry you had to witness that."

"Don't be sorry, 'Ponine. It's not your fault," he said softly, brushing hair out of her eyes. "Come on, I'm taking you to my place."

She protested, but he didn't listen as he carefully scooped her up and walked out of the crumbling apartment into his own. Fortunately, he had a guest bedroom that he gently laid her in. She had bruises all over her body and back, and Marius was not sure what to do. But he bandaged her bleeding wounds and decided he would fetch Joly in the morning to check on her.

"Why didn't you ever tell me, 'Ponine? I could have helped you..."

She smiled sadly. "He always does that. You won't ever be able to help. It's alright, really, I've gotten used to it. He says I deserve it."

"That's horrible." Marius said.

"C'est la vie."

"That's life," he whispered. It was awful, the way she was used to this. She thought it was fairly normal.

She nodded and drew a painful breath, her abdomen thickly bruised. "Goodnight, Marius."

He kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand. "Night, 'Ponine. Sleep well."

He went to bed. It was early but he was tired and had nothing else to do. He didn't sleep very well, seeing as he was too worried about Eponine and she kept moaning in pain.

In the morning, he was startled to see her, up and about to leave. "'Ponine!" He said, startling her. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go out and make some money. Or steal. But my father won't be happy if I come home with nothing," she explained apologetically.

"You're father's never happy," Marius mumbled.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing."

"I'm much better, I really am." she told him, but he could see her flinch as she reached out to the doorknob.

"'Ponine, nobody heals from that kind of beating overnight."

Eponine sighed. "Really, I'm fine. Thank you so much for your kindness, M'sieur, I assure it is not necessary. I have to meet my father and his gang soon." He saw her shudder at the thought of it. He thought it was awfully unfair that she was forced to rob and steal. Had Eponine been raised in a proper, caring home, she would most likely be a fine, happy young lady. But she had been hurt her whole life, raised in rags and poverty, struggling to stay alive. That was what the Les Amis were fighting for, to free the citizens from their destitution. It wasn't fair, the people of France deserved more.

"Take care, 'Ponine." He watched her go as she limped out the door. He could only hope she would be safe today. Perhaps, within time, the abuse would get better.

How wrong he was.

**Thank you so much for reading! I would really appreciate reviews, and could you please give me ideas for the next chapters if you want more? Constructive criticism is appreciated, but not mean reviews:) **

**If you want me to write more you have to give me ideas. What should happen, what problems should Eponine or Marius have, etc. I NEED LOTS OF IDEAS FOR THIS STORY! :)**

**Well thanks again! So long!**

**Je t'aime! :D **

**-Anna **


	2. A Cold Night

**Thanks for the reviews, favs and alerts you added me to! I really appreciate it. **

**For the sake of the story, Eponine is fifteen! **

**Merci, everyone! Je t'aime:D **

**Also, to Roundabout Of Red Roses: Thanks so much for your kind review! Thank you for the suggestions. When I received your review, I was already halfway through writing this chapter through Eponine's POV. But the next chapter I will probably write from Marius's view. And I am not really sure if there will be any pairings, but if there are it would only be Marius/Eponine. Thanks again! **

**PS Sorry, this is not an Eponine/Enjolras story. I think that pairing is stupid. Sorry!**

C'est La Vie

Chapter Two

Eponine limped down the street, looking quickly over her shoulder every few minutes. She had to make sure nobody was tailing her; Marius, her father, or-she shuddered-Montparnasse. There had been a time that she both trusted and got along with 'Parnasse, loved him, even. That was long ago, before he broke her heart and joined her father's gang and hit her almost every day.

She really had no problem with pickpocketing rich men, who hardly worked at all. They had always had a roof over their heads. But she did not like robbing homes. Sometimes there'd be children, who were scared of the men but just looked sadly at her. They could not understand why she was doing this, for she was only a few years older than them. But she had to, because if she didn't she would get a hell of a beating. She'd refused, once, and she could hardly walk or see straight the next day. She had stayed home the entire day, being almost unable to move. The next day she told Marius she was sick. Fortunately he hadn't seen the bruises.

But yesterday he did.

Eponine cringed at the memory, him pulling up her sleeve. It was lucky he had just thought it was from the encounter with 'Parnasse that he witnessed. Actually, it was from another one of her father's gang members. It happened nearly every day. He hadn't seen the scars on her torso and legs. If he knew what had happened only a few weeks ago...

She pushed the thought away. She didn't want to be reminded of the man who had nearly beaten her to death. And Marius thought that _last _night was enough to kill her.

Now her secret was out. Marius knew what her father did nearly every night. Her father wasn't supposed to be home last evening. Usually, he waited until Marius was asleep, or he took her a few streets away into a dark alley, but last night he'd just lost it. She was lucky it was just him-sometimes his gang members helped him, too. Thanks to them, she now knew words and slang terms most people didn't know until they were adults, if they did at all. But here Eponine was, fifteen, and her vocabulary was so colorful it would've offended the Inspector.

Today was not nearly as nice as the afternoon before; the sun was hidden behind dark clouds that threatened rain. Eponine sighed. She hated rain, it only made her job of stealing and working for her father harder. Less people were out on the streets, and most of the vendor's stands and stores were closed. Of course, since this made her father angry, she was usually on the receiving end of his fury.

"Eponine!" a rough voice shouted from across the square. She jumped. Her father stood with the formidable members of his gang, 'Parnasse included. He smirked at her and she threw him a disgusted look. "Get yer sorry butt over here!"

As soon as she reached them, Thenardier slapped her across the face. She staggered backwards and slammed into a young man walking past.

"Pardon me, M'sieur," she mumbled as he gently grabbed her arms to keep her from falling.

"Not a problem, miss." He said kindly. He acted as if nothing had happened before, but Eponine could see in his eyes that he'd seen her father hit her. He looked upset, but did his best to hide it, probably to keep her out of trouble. She was very thankful for that. She couldn't shake the feeling of how familiar he looked.

As he walked away, Eponine realized suddenly that he was the leader of the rebellion. How she didn't see it immediately, she wasn't sure, but she was a bit dizzy from her father's sudden blow. She would spend three or four days a week in the ABC Cafe with Marius, listening to his glorious and passionate speeches about freedom for the people of France. It always inspired her. What was his name? Enjolras, she remembered. Marius always spoke highly of him.

It was always surprising, how polite and kind all the men at the Les Amis were to her. Until she met Marius, she had always been afraid of men, not trusted them. But they didn't treat her as a poor street girl. They acted like she was just another human being. None of them had ever been rude to her or threatened her in any way.

Thenardier grabbed her hair from behind her and yanked her backwards. "I expect you to get double the usual amount of francs today, girl."

"_Double_?" she cried. "That's impossible! I barely get enough as it is!"

Her father punched her in the stomach, and Eponine fell to the concrete, gasping. Someone else kicked her in the head, and she winced.

"Don't talk back to me!" Thenardier roared. "Go and get on the job!"

The men dispersed, and Eponine pulled herself up from the ground. She was sure to have another bruise or two, but she was used to it. She brushed herself off and wearily started off, knowing there was no way she'd get twice the money and dreading the beating she could almost feel already.

As she took the alleyway shortcut, she saw that Enjolras had been watching the entire time, with a sad expression on his face.

**********page break************

Marius was sitting in the Les Amis, talking with Joly, Enjolras and Grantaire. There wasn't really a meeting today, not one with Enjolras making a speech. They were just discussing things.

Enjolras cleared his throat. "So, is that old rat Thenardier always such an awful man?"

"What do you mean?" Marius asked.

"Well, when I was walking through the square today he was yelling at his daughter, the one you're friends with, and he was hitting her. Something about getting double the money today."

Marius sighed, trying not to picture the awful scene. "Pretty much, yes. He's always horrible to Eponine."

"That's terrible. She seems to be a very nice girl." Enjolras said.

"Yes, she is. She doesn't deserve it," Marius told him. "I was actually going to ask Joly to check on her this morning, but she left before I could."

"Why would you need me to check on her?" Joly inquired curiously. "I mean, of course I would, but is it that bad?"

He nodded grimly. "He beat her with a belt last night. She can't walk right; she was limping awfully this morning. And she has bruises all over."

Joly cringed. "That's just...cruel. How could a father do that to his own daughter?"

"Believe me, I ask myself that every day. I really want to help her, but she's so stubborn I can't do much more than let her stay at my place sometimes," he said, sounding defeated. "Even that makes her feel like she's a burden. She's been through so much. It just isn't fair."

"I'm sorry, my friend," Enjolras said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it will work out eventually. When we rebel, the government will see what they cannot. Things will get better for your friend, I'm sure."

As much as Marius wanted to believe this, some part of him refused to.

********PAGE BREAK:D************

Eponine sighed as she checked the clock that hung in the square. It was almost five thirty, the time that was always arranged for her to meet with her father and his gang. More than three-fourths of her hard-earned money was take by him, leaving her with hardly anything. A few sous, maybe. If her mother was in a good mood, she would give her some bread or maybe a franc or two to buy something, which was hardly enough. She was always starving and thin. Her mother was fat and her father had a few pounds to spare. Did they care about her? Not at all.

She didn't even have half of what she was supposed to. Her father asking for double the amount of wages was impossible. Just plain impossible. It was extra slow today, anyways, the rain making everyone stay in. Eponine was soaked to the bone, shivering. The rain had been pelting down relentlessly the entire day. She'd slipped several times and cut herself, and she was freezing.

Strangely, five-thirty came and went, but nobody showed up, not even 'Parnasse. Eponine pondered whether or not to wait. Where would she go? She hadn't nearly enough money to satisfy her father. She was sure to get a brutal beating, and her father would probably leave her out to drown in the rain. She wasn't going to bother Marius again, he had enough to worry about already.

She ended up stopping at the bridge and crawled under it, hidden by the stone as she watched the Seine river mournfully. It raged by, and for a minute she contemplated jumping in, just to end everything, all the pain and suffering. But then she decided against it. Suicide was for cowards, and Eponine Thenardier was no coward. She would go and face the hellish world her life had become.

But for tonight, she would not go and face the hellish man her father had become. It was freezing outside, yes, and the temperature would drop dangerously low as the night drew in, especially with the rain, but she did not care. The beating of the rain was nothing compared to the beating of her father's fists and his leather belt. Eponine had always known he had bought the belt for that purpose, and that purpose alone. He hardly ever wore it.

Eponine curled up on the soaking wet riverbank, pulling her coat around her as tight as she could. She was in for a rough night, but it was not as it she hadn't faced worse. The murderous sheets of rain were a walk in the park compared to returning home.

**yay! thanks for reading! Any future ideas?**

**Please review! It's what keeps me going!**

**Je t'aime and merci! :D (i love you and thanks!)**

**Au revoir! **


	3. Missing

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and please do so again! :) **

**I'm sorry the details about Azelma or Gavroche are off. I figured they would be, since I haven't really read much of the book. I've just seen the musical...many, many times. I guess it's okay, because it's fanfiction and I can do whatever I want with the characters! Mwahhaahahahah! But I am aware of that, so you don't need to tell me:) It's my version of them.**

**Je t'aime, merci. -Anna**

C'est La Vie

Chapter Three

Marius slammed the door to his home and sighed as he sat down at his old wooden desk. What was he going to do? He was becoming more and more worried by each day that passed by. Eponine was a difficult soul; stubborn beyond measure. She didn't want his help. He had practically seen the guilt in her eyes last night when he'd had her stay at his place. Why couldn't she just accept help?

They hadn't met today. It was raining hard, and they always agreed to simply go home instead of waiting for one another if it stormed, for what was the purpose of standing out and getting soaked? Now that he was home, he didn't hear any activity next door. He peered through the hole and saw nothing but the messy and poverty-struck-but also empty-home of the Thenardiers. It was dark and not a soul was in sight.

_Odd, _Marius thought, _usually _someone's _home. _It was a quarter past seven. Of course, the rain was due to slow the day down for them, with thieving and all. And Enjolras had said Thenardier wanted double the wages from Eponine today. This made him angry, because he knew that for her it was hard to get even the normal amount expected. You can't expect a good amount of francs from pickpocketing the whole day, and what was even more unfair was that even if his gang members were the ones who fell short on the money, Eponine received the beating.

The door of the Thenardiers burst open and Thenardier himself walked in, cursing and muttering. Marius expected Eponine to follow him in, but she was nowhere to be seen as he slammed the door.

_Perhaps she's just a little late, _he told himself. He knew she wouldn't appreciate him worrying over her.

But the hours rolled by and 'Ponine did not show. If any of the Thenardiers noticed, they did not seem to care. Around ten or eleven, the Madame made some grumbling comment about how ungrateful Eponine was, and Thenardier roared that she was a coward. He finally couldn't stand it, and so he stood and left his apartment to knock on their door.

"What do you want, boy?" Thenardier growled.

"Where's 'Ponine?" Marius demanded.

"Hmm?" The man leaned up against the doorframe in a manner of indifference.

"Where's your daughter, you piece of scum?"

Thenardier sighed. "Probably out on the streets somewhere. I don't care. She probably hasn't near the amount expected and is too much of a coward to return home."

Marius lost it. Lunging forward, he shoved the man back and snarled, "Your daughter is not a coward. She is more than you deserve, rat."

Thenardier just chuckled. "Interesting that someone actually cares about her. She'll probably be back by morning. Until then, leave us alone."

He shut the door in the student's face. Marius groaned in frustration and returned to his home, hoping the man was correct and that 'Ponine would be alright.

******page break******insert fancy symbol here***********

It was far past midnight when Eponine woke up. It was still pitch dark outside with hours until sunup. But it was so cold and rainy and wet it was difficult to sleep.

The Seine River had risen significantly. Eponine could not recall the last time it had rained so much. It surged underneath the bridge, the icy waters cutting a cold path and splashing up on the bank. She shivered again, thankful nobody had come to drag her back to her father.

She remembered the first time her father had hit her. She was ten, and she had been doing most of the chores since Cosette had been taken away all those years ago. Oh, how she wished that man had taken her, too.

She had done something wrong, dropped a plate, misplaced some item, and he had slapped her and started screaming, calling her awful things. She recalled running to her room and locking the door, crying the whole night. She would learn soon that crying never made anything better. She hadn't told her mother; she had been so afraid her father would hurt her again, or Azelma or Gavroche.

Things fell apart from there. They ran out of money and had to sell the inn. She remembered crying as they walked away from the boarded-up thing; it was her favorite place to play. She grew up there.

Azelma ran away from their new tenement as soon as Thenardier started abusing all the members of his family, except for Eponine's mother. Gavroche was soon to follow. The Thenardiers began living in rags, and Eponine starved. Her father's gang formed, and she was forced to help them. She wanted to run away, too, to join her siblings she loved so dearly, but her father constantly threatened and beat her whenever she tried. She no longer had any extra clothing to change into; they sold almost everything they owned. She had rags to wear, along with an old coat of her father's and a hat to hide her bruised face under. They resorted to stealing and robbing. Days spent in the streets made dirt streaks on her face and arms, and days of disobeying her father's orders made bruises all over her body. She grew thinner and more miserable with each week that passed.

There was the time when Marius had moved in, when she'd had a brief sense of hope. Perhaps, since he was right next door and could hear everything, her father wouldn't beat her as often. But this only meant he wouldn't do it at home. She'd become friends with Marius, against her parents' will, and was glad she did. He was the only comfort she had in her world of suffering.

She had never told him. The threats from her father were ones she knew he wouldn't hesitate to carry out, and she had to keep those she loved safe. She hardly ever saw Azelma, as she had a small job in a boarding house and was much better off than Eponine was. She would see Gavroche on the streets most days, running around like the little urchin he was and avoiding the Inspector. Both her siblings were sweet and she was happy they did not have to be faced with her father's wrath anymore.

Eponine drew her knees to her chest as the wind blew in under the bridge. Where was she supposed to go when the night was over? Surely 'Parnasse would find her, he knew she liked to stay here. When they were in love, she'd been stupid and given him a lot of her secrets.

She clenched her fists and cringed. "You're a fool, Eponine." She told herself quietly.

"That you are, my dear sister."

She jumped and turned to see Gavroche make his way over to her. "Oh, Gavroche, I haven't seen you in forever!" she cried. She pulled him into a hug, which he returned immediately, grinning.

"I've missed you, 'Ponine."

"I've missed you too," she said, smiling. "Why do you think I am I a fool?"

"You know I don't mean it, you're one of the smartest people I know, but why don't you just leave Father? Run away like me and 'Zelma did?" he questioned, leaning against Eponine's small frame. She put an arm around him and sighed. "I know what he does to you, 'Ponine, he hits you every day in the square."

Eponine squeezed her eyes shut and buried her head in her arms. "I can't run away, Gavroche. He'll find me. And it'll keep you and Azelma safe."

"It's not fair! He shouldn't do that to you!" Gavroche burst out, crossing his arms. "You have to run away, 'Ponine! You can come live with me!"

She sighed. "Gavroche, you don't _have _anywhere to live. I couldn't just go stealing with you; Father will find me eventually. Or 'Parnasse. Who knows what they'll do to you."

It wasn't fair. Gavroche was just a child, but he'd been forced to grow up way too fast, the same as all of the children in the Thenardier family. They had been forced to live on the streets, do things and see things no children should ever have to.

"Please, 'Ponine?" Gavroche begged. "I don't want him to keep hurting you."

"For now, I have to stay. I'm sorry," she said firmly, a sad expression on her face. She hugged her brother again. "I love you, Gavroche, and I'm willing to have Father hurt me if you're safe."

"But you did that enough when I was little! I saw him beating you, you know," he admits.

"Please, just promise me you'll stay safe."

"'Ponine, you'll freeze out in this rain! You'll get sick!"

"I'll be fine." She said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Gavroche left in a mood, and Eponine watched him sadly. She curled up again and closed her eyes, praying for the sleep she knew wouldn't come.

*********a break in the page********page break***********

Morning came, and Marius was disappointed to see it was still raining as hard as ever. He was even more than disappointed when he discovered Eponine was not back yet.

"What do you _mean_, she isn't here?" he yelled at Thenardier. "You call yourself a father?"

The man snorted. "I wish I didn't have to."

This time, Marius was the one to slam the door. He was seriously worried now. Eponine hadn't returned yet. She could be hurt, or sick. What if she was hurt again by that goddamn Montparnasse again?

Where in God's name would she stay overnight in this rain? She was bound to get sick, he thought as he grabbed his coat. What if the Inspector had caught her?

He tried to push the thoughts away as he shut his door and set off in the storm, in search of his best friend and praying he would find her.

**Sorry if this was a filler chapter. Next one will be better, I promise!**

**So, if you review, tell me: do you want Marius to find Eponine and help her out, or should he not find her? If he doesn't find her, should Eponine be sick or something? Maybe Montparnasse kidnaps her...mwahahahaha...just kidding. But yes or no? And then elaborate. Thanks! **


	4. The Search

**Thanks so much to all the reviewers! You are what encourages me! A special thanks to Roundabout of Red Roses and TheatreGhost-316 for their kind reviews, you guys are awesome! Roundabout of Red Roses kind of gave me the idea for this chapter, so thanks & this chapter is for you! :)**

**I have just made a new Instagram account for Les Mis pictures. I would love you soo much if you followed me! The username is i_dreamedadream_ and I will most definitely follow you back:)**

**Thanks again! Je t'aime and merci! **

C'est La Vie

Chapter Three

Eponine was getting sick. She knew when she opened her eyes and started coughing that she was sick. She felt oddly warm, but not in a good way. She shivered, but her forehead was burning up. Her throat hurt, and she could barely move. But she had a feeling that was just because she was sore from the beating yesterday.

Sure enough, their were new bruises on her arms and torso. Eponine shuddered, seeing as the marks on her arms were handprint-shaped. Damn 'Parnasse. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he and her father take such joy in hurting her? The only men in her life she trusted were Marius and Gavroche-although Gavroche didn't really count as a man. Marius was young, too, but older than 'Ponine. Gavroche was still a child, ten or eleven at the most.

It had to be early morning, but it was hard to tell. The sky was a dark, unforgiving gray as it continued to empty buckets over Paris. Was it even possible for it to rain so much? The grass Eponine was laying on was now mud, a few inches underwater. She crawled over to the stone supports of the bridge and lay on a slab of it. It was wet and cold, but at least she wouldn't drown if she fell asleep. It was not noticeable, anyways, tucked under the end of the bridge. Nobody would be able to see her unless they were really looking.

How long did sick people live without any medical treatment? Eponine racked her brain, trying to figure it out. Adding the elements of the cold, the rain, and the fact that she hadn't eaten in days and her chances were probably slim.

Deciding to worry about it later, Eponine closed her eyes and let the steady drum of the rain lull her to sleep.

*****paaaaggggeeeee brreeeeaaaakkkk*********

Marius ducked his head and attempted to shield himself from the rain. There had been no activity in the square, except for Thenardier's gang, who had threatened him and pushed him away. He searched the alleys, noticing that the gang also seemed to be looking around.

Fear gripped him suddenly like a cold hand. What if they found Eponine before he did? She wouldn't last long, not in this rain. She was bound to be sick already. Oh, what if he didn't find her?

He found himself at the old stone bridge, overlooking the Seine. It was frightening, how fast it was surging by, how full it was. Nobody would survive it very long.

"'Ponine?" he called softly. "Eponine?"

After almost half an hour, he gave up and left. He had to get out of the rain, it wouldn't help 'Ponine if he got sick, too. He wound up at the Les Amis, where only a few of his friends were sitting. Grantaire, with-surprise-a bottle of brandy in hand, Enjolras, and Joly, the same three he'd talked to days earlier about Eponine. He was just sitting down when the door flew open and a rain-drenched Gavroche staggered in, swearing and muttering.

"Gavroche!" Marius called. "Good to see you."

Gavroche sat down next to him and nodded. "You too, M'sieur Marius."

Marius frowned at the young boy. "Have you seen Eponine?"

The boy's head shot up. "You mean you didn't see her this morning? She told me she'd see me today, and I thought..." He shook his head. "Why'd I leave her?" he murmured.

"Where is she?" Marius demanded.

Gavroche looked up at him mournfully. "The last time I saw her she was under the bridge...but that was last night..."

Marius stood abruptly. "Thank you, Gavroche. I'm off to find her."

"Wait!" The young boy scrambled up from his seat to follow him. "I'm coming, too!"

The two were soon walking quickly down the street, Gavroche struggling to keep up with the older boy's long strides.

Just as the old stone bridge was in sight, a shrill scream cut through the rainy air.

**Sorry, it's short and not that great. But I promise the next will be longer! Much longer:)**

** Don't forget to review and follow my Les Mis instagram at i_dreamedadream_ **

** Chapter Five coming soon! Even sooner, if you review:) **

** IMPORTANT QUESTION: Okay, so I am not sure if I want to put the next chapter as I've planned it. Spoiler alert. I am either going to have Eponine being attacked by her father & his gang and Marius save her (which will be like the climax in the story) or just have him find her and bring her home, saving the fight until later. First option or the latter? The latter makes the story longer, but the fight is a very good scene I've planned out. So what do you think? Tell me in your reviews! **

** Thanks so much! **


	5. And The Rescue

**Ah! I owe everyone a GIGANTIC apology for my lack of writing. I finally forced myself to continue this, and found it was really easy as I was in a writing mood! I promise to update this again soon, it's almost finished:( A few more chapters to go! Don't worry, my New Year's resolution is to write/update more. I hope this 2,000+ (four pages!) word story makes up for the five months of not updating! D: **

**Please review! I love all the lovely ones so far. **

**Haha, so on my questions, the first option won! Here you all are! I hope you enjoy! Ideas are welcome:)**

C'est La Vie

Chapter Five

A hand clamped down over Eponine's mouth, and her eyes flashed open. She was met with the eyes of Thenardier, and she let out a muffled scream. He had finally found her.

She struggled as her father easily pulled her to her feet and pinned her against the wall of stone. Rainwater dripped down into her eyes, and she flinched as his grip tightened.

"Thought you could get away, dear?" Thenardier snarled.

Eponine spit in his face, making him growl and slap her across the face. She cried out in pain and clutched her cheek. "Brat," her father hissed.

If she could only get away...there were two men behind him, but if she could get to the top of the bridge, call for help...

Eponine stomped on her father's foot as hard as she possibly could, and his grip loosened a bit. She wrenched away and sprinted with all her effort, but she was knocked to the ground as Montparnasse stepped in front of her. Where had _he _come from?

As 'Parnasse leaned over her, she let out the loudest scream possible. It was so loud and shrill most of the men winced or covered their ears. She heard it echo and could only hope somebody would hear her.

Montparnasse slapped her and she tried to crawl away desperately, but he hauled her up by the back of her coat and shoved her in the direction of her father. Eponine tripped and landed on her knees at the feet of her father. God, she was scared. Nobody was going to come to help her; it was raining and there wasn't anyone around to hear her struggle and scream. She was in for a hell of a beating.

"Now, 'Ponine," Thenardier said in a sickly sweet, mocking voice as he bent down and forced her to look at him. "Where's my money?"

"What are you talking about, Papa?" she asked casually, staring past him and not wanting to meet his eyes. She fought to keep her voice level and calm.

Her father's hand shot out and gripped her hair, yanking her up as he shoved her closer to the edge of the raging river. "Where's the money you were supposed to have given me _yesterday_? You should have earned double, stupid girl, or are you so worthless you couldn't manage this?"

Eponine flinched, biting her lip and keeping her gaze downcast. "I-"

"Give it to me, now!" he shouted.

She drew a shaky breath as she reached into her pocket. She had nowhere near what he wanted, and it'd be lucky if he didn't pitch her into the river. Slowly, she pulled out the money and dropped what few francs she had into his filthy palm. His eyes narrowed and he counted the money. He closed his fist that he held them in, and with unbelievable force, he punched her ribs so hard she thought she heard something crack. She gasped and crumpled to the ground, tears filling her eyes at the searing pain in her side. She coughed weakly, shivering.

Wasn't there _anyone _in the world out? Who cared? The Inspector was always out, he had to have seen them by now. He was never any help, though; the only street brawls he intervened were ones involving the rich. Poor street kids were on their own. The higher-class always did and always would turn a blind eye to the suffering of the miserable ones.

Someone gripped her collar, but she was dizzy and couldn't tell who. She struggled to see clearly as she was lifted up and slammed back down. She weakly attempted to lift her head up and do something, but she was overcome with a fit of coughs just as another kick slammed into her back. She curled into a pathetic ball, her thin body wracked with coughs that soon turned into tears.

"You _stupid _girl! You can't do _anything _right!" Eponine was remotely aware of her head being slammed onto something hard, multiple times. A weak cry came from her broken, bleeding lips. She would surely die if they left her out in this weather, sick and injured.

Eponine felt someone's hot breath in her face and winced as she saw 'Parnasse, nearly on top of her. He was tugging at her coat, looking greedy. With a jolt of horror, she realized what he was trying to do.

_No! _

The thought came strikingly clear in her disoriented state. She tried to push him off as he reached at her clothes. "No!" she shrieked. He slapped her, clamping his hand over her mouth, and she was still struggling when-

_Smack. _Something that looked suspiciously like a cooking pot smackedMontparnasse in the side of the head. He was knocked off of Eponine, looking stunned.

"Get your hands off my sister, you bastard."

"'_Roche_?" Eponine croaked in disbelief.

He grinned at her. "Hello there, dear."

"Ack! What the hell-"

She craned her head to see her father shoved over by Marius. Oh, no, what was going to happen to him? He was outnumbered!

Thenardier must've seen this, too, because he grinned. "You have nowhere to go, boy. Why would you waste your time on this pathetic thing?" He waved in the general vicinity of Eponine, who cringed. Gavroche moved in front of her protectively.

"Don't talk about your daughter that way, you worthless piece of scum," Marius spat. "Now, I suggest you leave soon. Javert's on the lookout for you."

He scowled, but the slight alarm in his beady eyes was there. "You're lying, schoolboy. You're trying for time."

"Oh, yeah? Try me." Marius stepped forward, unafraid.

Thenardier punched him across the face. Eponine screamed and Gavroche gripped her arm, trying to help her into a sitting position, but she was so weak she slumped over, barely moving. Marius took a few steps backwards, groaning.

_Please, _Eponine prayed, _let him be okay. _

"Oi! What's going on down there?"

The members of Thenardier's gang looked up in terror at Inspector Javert, peering at them suspiciously from atop the bridge. "You leave them alone, Thenardier, you rat. I've half a mind to arrest you."

Thenardier's eyes widened, and the gang members scattered very quickly, running off into the rain. Montparnasse, who had been nearly unconscious, scrambled up in fear as he saw Javert. Gavroche spit on the man as he left after his comrades. "Thanks to you, Inspector," the boy called with a tip of his hat. Javert gave a begrudging nod and left with a scowl.

"My God, 'Ponine, are you okay?" Marius rushed over to her, paling as he observed her closer. She was so dizzy she couldn't even focus on his face, which was tilting in and out of focus. She weakly grabbed his arm as she burst into coughs.

"She needs help, she's hurt bad..." Gavroche murmured worriedly. "M'sieur Marius-"

"Gavroche, do you know where Joly lives? He's next to the Cafe Musain." Gavroche nodded. "I need to go fetch him and bring him to my flat. I'll meet you there." Marius took his coat off and draped it over Eponine to shield her from the pouring rain.

"Alright, M'sieur." The young boy eyed the older one seriously. "You take good care of my sister."

"I will. Hurry!"

Gavroche scampered away, up and across the bridge and through the rainy streets. Marius watched him disappear before scooping Eponine up and starting back to his home. He was disturbed by how light she was, and even more disturbed by how hurt she was.

He finally reached his flat, laying her down gently in the spare bed. Upon brushing her bruised skin he realized how hot she was. He soaked a rag in cold water and laid it on her forehead, watching her eyelids flutter feverishly.

"Marius?" she muttered, almost unintelligible.

He offered her a weak smile. "What are you thinking, running around in the rain?" he berated, albeit kindly. "You've gotten yourself sick."

She coughed and reached out to touch his face, frowning. "You're hurt."

Marius fingered the place on his cheek where her father had punched him, a bruise rising already. "You're much worse, 'Ponine, believe me."

"He hurt you-" she protested.

"It's fine," he interrupted gently. "Really, 'Ponine, you're lucky Joly's a miracle worker."

She began coughing violently again, whimpering as it jarred her ribs that had been hurt. Marius sighed, hating to see her in so much pain. He wasn't sure what to do until Joly arrived, because his friend was the only one around who knew anything about medical treatment. Eponine was sick and injured, and he just thanked God he found her before her father and that damned Montparnasse could've done anything worse. He shuddered as he remembered Montparnasse on top of Eponine while she struggled, his hand forced over her mouth...what if he and Gavroche hadn't been there to stop him?

"Marius..." Eponine croaked, trying to sit up a little. Marius leaned her into him for support. "Thank you. For...everything."

"It's not a problem, 'Ponine," Marius replied softly.

She opened her mouth to say something, but winced in pain, trying to hold back coughs. Less than a minute later she blacked out in his arms, and he ever so carefully lowered her back down.

The door burst open and Gavroche scampered in, followed by Joly and Enjolras. He wasn't surprised to see the last; Enjolras was often with Joly as they lived near to each other and were very close friends. Both men looked extremely worried, and Gavroche looked like he was going to be sick.

"Good God," Joly said in disbelief as he took in the skinny, bruised and bloody street girl laying unconscious before them. "What happened to her?"

"Her father and his gang cornered her," Marius said. "She's sick, too-been out in the rain for a few days. Can you help her?"

Joly nodded. "I'll do my best."

The young medical student got to work immediately, frowning at the numerous bruises covering her torso. Gavroche sat next to his sister on the wide bed, eyeing her with so much concern and sadness it broke Marius' heart.

"She'll be alright," Joly finally announced. "I'll give you some medicine to give her for her fever and cough. I have to wrap her ribs, one of them is cracked. She also has a concussion and her body has endured severe bruising and trauma. Marius, I assume she can stay here for awhile?"

He nodded. "Absolutely."

"Good. She should be fine for awhile, but I'll come check on her tomorrow morning. She'll be in a lot of pain, but this medicine should help the fever and coughing. Remember that sometimes she won't be thinking straight from her concussion, so just be careful."

"Thanks for everything, Joly," Marius nodded gratefully.

"No problem. See you tomorrow."

They left, and Marius shut the door behind him, scowling at the damn rain that was still pouring. He turned back to see Gavroche, still sitting loyally by his unconscious older sister, brushing hair out of her eyes and fixing the blankets so they kept her warm.

"Gavroche," Marius asked, "would you like to stay here with Eponine and I for awhile? You could help me take care of her."

Gavroche grinned. "Yes, thank you, M'sieur. I'll sleep here if that's alright. It's a big bed and I'm not a fitful sleeper, I won't bump her or anything. And sometimes she has bad dreams, so it helps if I'm here."

Marius smiled at the little boy's protectiveness of Eponine. "That's absolutely fine for you to sleep there, Gavroche. Thank you for all your help today."

"Oh, it's nothing, M'sieur Marius. She's my sister, I want to. I owe her a lot."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh really?"

Gavroche nodded solemnly. "She takes my father's beatings and such to protect me. She would always insist it was her fault and protect Azelma and me. Then I ran off, and Azelma hasn't been heard from in years, but Eponine still stays with my parents. She won't leave because she's afraid my father will hunt me down."

Marius sighed. "She's something, alright."

"That she is, M'sieur," Gavroche said, grinning. "That she is."

**Review! :) Happy New Year! **


	6. Nightmares And Escape Attempts

**Hi! I have an update! :) Thank you all so much for all your kind reviews:) Sorry for the shortness. Hope you enjoy. **

C'est La Vie

Chapter Six

It was only a few hours later when Marius awoke to a shrill scream he recognized immediately as Eponine's. Throwing his sheets aside and scrambling out of bed to the guest bedroom, he was terrified something bad had happened. Had Eponine and Gavroche's father found them? Was 'Ponine hurt even worse?

Opening the door, he saw only the two street children curled up peacefully. Well, not exactly peacefully, although they were visibly fine-Eponine was slumped in Gavroche's arms, sobbing quietly. Her brother was rubbing her back, whispering things of reassurances, and did not seem to sense Marius. He didn't want to invade on the siblings' privacy, but he needed to make sure they were okay.

"It's okay, 'Ponine, he's not here," the boy said soothingly. "We're safe, remember? We're at M'sieur Marius' home, and it's very nice and warm, and you need to rest so your injuries can heal."

"But..." Eponine struggled to speak; she was clearly still half-asleep and traumatized by whatever bad dream had just found her. "But_..._he-"

Gavroche flinched. "I know, but he won't ever do that again. That was awhile ago, silly. You're safe now."

"H-he _touched _me..."

He watched Gavroche's face harden, trying to console her, clearly angered at whoever had done this to 'Ponine. Marius felt sick. What had happened to hurt her so much that she still had nightmares? That caused her to break down so completely like this? Gavroche was just a child, and so was Eponine. The things they'd been through were all so horrible.

He finally cleared his throat. "Gavroche?"

The boy jumped, looking defensive as he cradled his sister. When he realized it was only Marius, he relaxed. "Everything's quite alright, M'sieur."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you for your concern. This happens a lot."

Eponine's tear-stained, bruised face lifted up and cringed as she recognized Marius. He couldn't see her like this! Trying to conceal a sob, she hid in Gavroche's arms again, shaking, murmuring something to her brother that Marius couldn't make out.

Speaking quietly because he was afraid he would scare her, Marius whispered, "Who's she going on about?"

The young boy's eyes dropped from his. "Nobody she'd want to tell you of, M'sieur."

Marius sighed. "You'll be fine till morning, then?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

"It's really not a problem, Gav," Marius muttered as he left. He crawled back in bed, staring at the ceiling. He could still hear her whimpers, even with the door shut, and could still picture her terrified face.

He didn't sleep at all for the rest of the night.

******page break:)**************

Eponine felt awful when she woke up. Her skin burned and she felt incredibly weak and shaky. Her face broke into a cold sweat as she struggled to get into a sitting position. A violent pain shot through her side, and she muffled a scream of pain as she collapsed back onto the tangled sheets, closing her eyes and moaning.

_Where was she? _

Her eyes shot open and a she felt a small pang of panic. This was definitely not her home. It was much nicer, and...she wasn't home. She couldn't remember whatever had happened recently, but Papa was going to be furious. Unless...

_No. _Had her father finally forced to whore? Was this the house of her first customer?

She could feel a sleeping body on the other side of the bed. Her face burned and she used a large burst of her strength to spring out of bed, almost immediately crashing to the floor.

Tear filled her eyes both at the frustration and at the pain. Where was she? Why couldn't she think straight? Everything seemed so surreal and disjointed.

Eponine saw the door and knew she had to get out. She half-walked, half-dragged herself to it, tears filling her hazy vision and streaking down her cheeks. Her head pounded as she fell and scraped her hands and knees. Trying to draw a shaky breath, she struggled to stand-

The door swung open without warning, scaring the living daylights out of her and throwing her off balance. She collapsed to the floor, letting out a violent gasp as her head hit the wood floor. Her vision blurred and she tried to make out the figure. Was it her father, come to hurt her? Parnasse?

"Eponine!" Joly exclaimed, horrified to see her up and about so soon-and crumpled on the floor nonetheless. He bent over and reached toward her, but withdrew quickly when she flinched violently. "What in God's name...Marius!"

The neglecting caretaker himself poked his head out of his bedroom, eyes widening. "Ponine-"

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Pontmercy!" Joly snapped. "You've most likely undone everything I did for her last night-"

Marius swore as he staggered over to the two, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He looked pained as Eponine flinched, eyes wide and unfocused, panicked and scared like a cornered animal. "Eponine, it's just us. Marius and Joly. It's alright."

She relaxed slightly, and Marius scooped her up and carried her back to the bed. Gavroche stirred, looking confused, but scooted over so they had room. Joly scowled at Marius before studying Eponine closely. "How are you feeling, Eponine?" he asked, digging through his bag for medicine.

"Like shit," she mumbled, nearly incomprehensible. Joly let out a chuckle as he gave her the medicine, then checked her bandages to make sure she hadn't damaged anything during her attempted escape.

"You need to quit this escape artist act," Joly commented humorously, "and get some _rest. _And perhaps Marius should keep a closer watch on you."

She nodded, glancing at Marius, who offered her a half-smile that wasn't returned. A wave of dizziness overcame her, and she swore again, closing her eyes in pain. "Why am I so damn disoriented?"

"You have a concussion," Joly told her gently. "You'll be confused sometimes."

A few minutes later, he left and both Marius and Gavroche stared at her in concern, the former swearing violently as he heard the rain start pouring down. It had been raining for what, a week? Or more.

"'Ponine?" Gavroche asked quietly.

"Mmm?"

"Why'd you try to leave?"

"I..." She took a deep breath, glad the painkillers were taking effect, because she felt like hell. "I didn't know where I was...I knew Father'd be mad."

Both of the boys cringed at the fact that the first thing she had thought of was not herself or getting better, but that she was so terrified of Thenardier that she tried so hard to escape even in her injured state.

"He won't find you, 'Ponine. We'll be safe here at M'sieur Marius'," Gavroche said reassuringly.

Eponine started to say something, but the medicine set in and she quickly drifted off.

**Please review! And leave ideas, I'm really not sure where to take the story from here…**

**Thanks again! Love you all:) **


	7. All She Ever Wanted

**Well, if there's one thing I like about being sick, it's that I can write all day! Thank you all soo much for your lengthy and encouraging reviews and suggestions! I will be incorporating them into the next chapters! Sorry if this is a bit repetitive or a filler. I tried to add some Marius/Eponine fluff:) **

C'est La Vie

Chapter Seven: All She Ever Wanted

Several days passed, and Eponine slept through most of them peacefully. Her fever slowly went away, and although she was still very hurt she began to recover. Gavroche remained by her side loyally, constantly watching to make sure no harm was to befall her.

Marius took good care of her, worried sick. The rain finally let up, and he wished desperately she was better so he could take her out to enjoy the sunshine. Instead he sat in a chair beside her bed, reading a book he couldn't focus on. Gavroche had gone out, claiming he had "important errands". 'Ponine was sleeping peacefully, her breathing soft and even, a content expression on her face. She looked happy. And, as the old saying went, she looked younger. Free of burden. Marius knew she was only fifteen or sixteen, but with her experiences, she was much older than she should be.

Could he have done something to avoid this? Would Eponine be running around, smiling, laughing, right now, if he had been able to stop her father? The next time he saw that bastard, he was going to get it for hurting Ponine.

He brushed her dark hair out of her face. She looked so weak. Her face was still pale and bruised, her cheeks sunken from suffering the streets for so long. Her face still had traces of dirt, and as he watched, she frowned in her sleep and muttered something.

She was quite cute in her sleep, he decided. He had always thought of her to be very pretty, even though she was so skinny and street-like. Under all the dirt, she had an adorable smile (he was always quite surprised of how straight and clean her teeth were) that always made his day. He wondered how she smiled so much. Her life was hell, yet she always stayed positive.

He remembered when he'd first met her; the tiny, impish street girl who'd tried to steal his wallet (and almost gotten it, too; she had been a bit out of it from how hungry she was and wasn't fast enough). They'd met again the next day, and quickly became best friends. He had saved her life several times; the week they met, she hadn't eaten in days. He convinced her to let him buy her food before she starved to death.

Ever since that day, Marius had always felt protective of Eponine. Especially now, when she was so helpless, he felt like he had failed her. She'd been through hell and back in a few short days and he hadn't been able to help her. If he could have one wish, it was that she would have a better life. She deserved far better.

Eponine let out a whimper. "No..." she begged quietly.

Marius squeezed her hand and held it fearfully. Her face broke into a sweat and contorted into a pained expression. "Please..."

"Eponine, its okay," he whispered. Her breathing became uneven, and he put his other hand to her forehead to find that she had a fever again. He got up quickly, dipping a rag into cold water and returning to wipe her forehead. He'd been getting surprisingly better at taking care of her, (after an irritated Joly had given him a two-hour medical lesson) and was worried. Her fever had been down for almost two days, and she was getting sick again.

She had to pull through. She always did. Yet Marius couldn't shake his concern, especially as she started coughing and murmuring again. "Eponine-"

"No!" She cried, letting out a strangled noise as her eyes shot open. She looked around, panicked, before she focused on Marius, bewildered. "Marius..."

"It's okay, 'Ponine, you're safe," he soothed, sitting on the bed and holding her hand again. He thought he saw her blush, but wasn't sure.

Then, the unexpected happened. Eponine burst into tears, her tiny frame shaking with sobs. Stunned, Marius wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back, talking nonsense to her. "You're okay, 'Ponine. Nothing's going to happen to you."

"He's coming back for me," Eponine whimpered, pulling away to look at him desperately, such fear in her eyes it scared him. "Marius, he's going to hurt you-"

"He'll do no such thing," he cut in firmly. "You need to rest."

Her eyes filled with tears again as she nodded, putting her thin arms around him and burying her face in his chest. He held her, rocking her back and forth, until he felt her grow limp in his arms. He carefully laid her back down, wiping the tears left on her face, studying how pretty she looked, even in this state. Did he..._like _her?

_No, _he thought firmly. _Ponine's just a friend. She wouldn't ever love me. _

The door opened and Gavroche scrambled in, grinning and waving a loaf of bread triumphantly. "Still warm!" He informed him. Then he frowned. "Wha's the matter with 'er?" He looked with concern at his sister.

"She had another bad dream, I think. She's okay now." A long silence followed as Gavroche ate his bread happily. Finally, the younger boy spoke up.

"She fancies you, ya know," he said pointedly.

Marius looked up at him, startled. "What?"

Gavroche chuckled dryly. "You're very blind, you know. Everybody at the ABC knows. It's clear as day. She'd do anything for you."

Marius contemplated the battered, sleeping girl in front of him. She was quite beautiful. Did she really love him? He felt awful for not noticing. "Everybody knows? How?"

Gavroche snorted. "It's so obvious. She follows you around; the way she looks at you so desperately and sadly. She lost hope, though, that'd you'd like her back. 'Marius won't ever love me' she says. Silly thing walks around at night imagining you're with her. Singing 'bout it. One of the saddest things I've ever seen." The little boy eyed him sharply. "You cause her too much pain, M'sieur. Almost more than 'Parnasse and Father."

A pang went through Marius. Had he really been tormenting her in all the years he'd known her? How could he have been so blind? Suddenly it all made sense! How he always saw her at night, wandering about, humming to herself in the rain. He had never disturbed her, because she seemed so happy and he didn't want to be a bother. But now he wished he would have gone out, walked with her. The reason she was always so happy was him. Now, more than ever, he was afraid of letting her down.

How could she love him so much? He wasn't worth loving, yet she had unrequited love for him even though he'd never cared enough to notice. Guilt sunk deep into him. All the times he'd thought she just liked him as a friend...he'd been torturing her.

"Oh, God," he muttered, pulling the covers over her so she wouldn't be cold. "What've I done?"

"All she ever wanted was for you to love her back," Gavroche stated bluntly.

"Why didn't she ever tell me?" Marius sighed.

"M'sieur, it was so obvious. Besides, she thinks herself most unworthy of you. She knew you wouldn't return the feelings." He looked curiously at him. "_Do _you?"

"I...I'm not sure. I think I just might." Marius touched Eponine's feverish face tenderly, and she smiled slightly. He grinned and readjusted the cold rag on her forehead.

"Isn't there a meetin' soon?" Gavroche asked, his mouth full.

Marius frowned. "I do believe so. But you go, and tell Enjolras that Ponine's sick. I'm not sure when she'll be better, but I can't leave her alone here."

Gavroche nodded. "Watch her carefully, M'sieur." Then he left, scampering out the door and shutting it quietly so he didn't wake his sister.

Marius got out a university book, so big it made his head spin, and began reading. The hours passed slowly, and soon it was night. He rubbed at his eyes, shutting the book and rising from his chair.

"Marius?" Eponine's tiny voice croaked. He turned around immediately, rushing to her side.

"What's the matter, 'Ponine?"

"I..." she frowned. "I don't know. Where's Gavroche?"

"He went to the meeting. He's fine."

"Why didn't you go?" She asked, looking guilty.

He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled softly at her. "Because I couldn't leave you here alone, silly. Who knows what you could get into."

She laughed, but then broke off quickly from the pain that shot through her ribs, clutching her side. "Ow."

Marius put a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest-"

"No!" she burst out. "I..." She took a deep breath. "I don't want to have any more nightmares..."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm here. You don't have to if you don't want to, though. Want to talk?"

"I would very much enjoy that, M'sieur."

And so they engaged in quiet conversations about nothing-the weather, the rain that had finally let up-anything but the harsh reality of the world they lived in. The minutes passed, and Eponine felt herself growing more tired and weaker, but she didn't care. She loved talking to him; he made her feel important and loved. Not the way she wanted, she knew, but for now it was enough.

"Eponine," Marius said, finally, sounding extremely serious but gentle. "What are your nightmares about?"

She winced. "You wouldn't want to hear them, Marius. They're horrendous. Don't worry yourself over me."

"Oh, but I have been, 'Ponine," he teased, tweaking her nose. She smiled. "You've got us all worried sick."

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her, startled. "What ever for?"

"For dragging you into this whole mess," she confessed. "For being such a burden. You could be at the meeting now, not taking up your time to watch after me. I'm wasting your-"

"'Ponine," he cut her off, taking her small hands in his. "I _want _to take care of you. Please? I'm worried about you."

Eponine allowed herself a wry smile. If only he would love her. Oh, how many times had she walked around in the dark thinking of him? In the rain, not feeling the cold because she was imagining his arms around her? It was then she was the most happy, besides when she was actually with him. She could pretend she wasn't lonely and miserable. All her fantasies came true.

But then they were crushed every day. Why in God's name would he want her? There were always pretty bourgeois girls on the street who gave him longing looks and glared at her in disgust. What was a street rat doing with such a handsome young man? To make things worse, Marius often commented on how pretty certain ones were. If only he'd notice _her_, tell _her _that he thought she was pretty.

"Eponine?" Marius asked, noticing her face fall and look distracted. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she muttered quickly. "Nothing, M'sieur."

"I told you," he chastised her lightly, "quit calling me M'sieur! We're best friends!"

A pang went through her. _Friends, _she thought with a scowl._ That's all we'll ever be. Give up, Ponine. Quit tormenting yourself. _

Should she tell him?

No. She didn't want to screw things up further. He would be absolutely disgusted. Probably even laugh at her. After all, that's what 'Parnasse told her, right? That she was worthless, stupid, ugly. That no man would ever want her.

_Worthless. Worthless. Worthless. _

"Worthless," she whispered, not realizing she'd said it out loud until she saw Marius frown.

"What?"

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm worthless." She shoved back the covers and set her feet on the cold floor, trying to stand. She let out a cry from the dizzying pain and stumbled. Marius leapt forward and caught her before she fell, sinking to the floor carefully as he held her.

"Shh..." he whispered. "Eponine...what are you talking about?"

Her body shook as she took in gasping breaths, tears running down her face. "I'm worthless! God, Marius, why do you care about me so much!"

"You're not worthless!" He told her carefully. "Who told you that?"

"Papa. Parnasse. Just about everyone..."

"I don't think you're worthless."

Eponine looked at him gratefully, and he was torn with pain at her tear-filled eyes. She was so broken.

She took a deep breath. "Thank you. I don't know why have such a high opinion of me, but...thank you."

He nodded. "You're really tired, 'Ponine, I think I should let you sleep-"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Don't leave, please! I don't want to have nightmares."

"It's okay," he reassured her. "I'm staying right here."

Eponine nodded sleepily, leaning her head on his shoulder. She tried to say something, but it blurred together in her exhaustion and she closed her eyes, becoming limp. Marius smiled amusedly at her, putting his arms around her impossibly tiny waist.

The door burst open and Gavroche ran in, panting for breath, looking terrified. "They're...after...her..."

"Slow down," Marius interrupted. "Who?"

"The Patron-Minette! Our father's gang! I heard them talking! They're huntin' her down!"

**Aah! Haha, sorry about the cliffhanger! Review please? Expect an update either this weekend or next week:) **


End file.
